“It would be delightful to visit these places. I travel a lot, you see. But it would be far more delightful to visit them with someone I cared to share the experience with. I…had not realized that before.”

Lady Risel glanced at Seraphel, and her features softened. Seraphel hesitated, then nodded.

“I will leave you to rest, Lord and Lady Afiele. Thank you for the music, Miss Sullivan.”

She retired swiftly, and Cara followed her after a second. Risel exhaled slowly.

“What a sad [Princess].”

Lord Lantal looked up blankly; he was chewing down food so fast he barely tasted it. He stopped, glanced up at Risel, and followed her gaze.

“Yes. Perhaps we could join her when she visits the capital. Or Ovela.”

“I hope so, Lantal.”

That was all they said, because Culin wanted to show Lantal how he could juggle…two…stones, and Sasi was offering him a wetted handkerchief to wash his face. As for Cara, she bade farewell to Seraphel and went to rest. For a little bit.

The 4th Princess did neither. She had energy—of a sort. So she retired to her private rooms, and very, very quietly, so as not to disturb anyone, she sang under her breath. Sang—and hoped to level. Because it was enjoyable, for once.

——

Cara was still tired that evening. She woke up after talking with Culin and Sasi and it was suddenly evening, and she felt like lying abed until nightfall, but she forced herself to rise.

It wasn’t even that tiring, enduring this siege, singing now and then.

The real tired people were on the walls. Idelt was standing at the gates. Violetta had helped ferry arrows to the [Archers]. Cara knew that the people not fighting just walked into the houses or sleeping areas and collapsed.

It was hard to sleep in a siege unless you were that tired. Cara found just such a crowd at lunch. She took her small bowl of millet mixed with a watered-down broth and sat by herself. She looked around and exclaimed before she caught herself.

“Violetta?”

The [Cellist] raised her head from the table. Her eyes were sunken and she looked like she’d been sleeping while trying to eat.

“Cara?”

Violetta’s face was hostile at first, suspicious. Wounded. But then it crumpled; she was too tired to even be angry.

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve been on the walls.”

That was answer enough. Cara hesitated, and then brought the bowl and wooden spoon over.

“Are you hungry? I’ve just been helping with laundry.”

Cara’s arms and back felt strained from working for the last three hours hanging and taking down laundry, but that had to be nothing to Violetta. She had taken a shift on the walls with a spear. Cara gave her an admiring look.

“I saw you on the walls this morning. You were fighting undead.”